FIA confirms no gearbox change for Verstappen

The FIA has confirmed that Max Verstappen's gearbox has not been replaced on the Red Bull driver's RB16B following his impact with the wall in qualifying in Jeddah.

The Dutchman will therefore start his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix p3 as planned.

Verstappen's costly mistake in Saturday's shootout likely deprived him of pole position but it also sparked a wave of worries in his team regarding potential damage inflicted on his car's transmission.

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko had warned after qualifying that the Milton Keynes-based outfit's crews would undertake a gearbox change if there was a "glimpse" of damage.

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But apparently, a comprehensive check has not revealed any issues.

However, there's always the risk of an unidentified gremlin lurking in the transmission's casing, as was the case for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc who had crashed in qualifying at Monaco but had nevertheless started on pole only to retire on his lap to the grid.

The FIA's note also lists a series of parts that were replaced on Verstappen's car, in accordance with Parc Fermé rules.

The team replaced the RB16B's front wing and nose assembly, a rear trackrod, the top and lower wishbones, the upright assembly, the gaitor and the PAS rack, as well as rear brake materials.

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